Alex Glenn's pre-game preparation has had a few tweaks since he was last in a grand final for the Brisbane Broncos. That was in 2010, when he captained a stacked under-20s side in a decider against the New Zealand Warriors.

Now it's all nutrition, recovery, rest and a traditional haircut at his favourite Woodridge barber, faded from a one up to a three. "You have to keep fresh," Glenn said. "It's for the TV games."

Back then, it was an eight-hour shift on the end of a paint brush followed by a commute to Red Hill for training. Instead of access to a zen master like Wayne Bennett, it was Remember the Titans on loop. 'What are you?' 'Mobile! Agile! Hostile!'

"Never back down ... I might have to get it out again. There's been a few more inspiration movies in the meantime. I might have to get out Southpaw again," said Glenn, now 27 and a regular in Bennett's top-shelf back row.

The Kiwi has one of the most infectious personalities at his club but his big smile and cheery nature belie the work he has done to ensure he remained part of what would end up being an almost-completed premiership puzzle.

With his form enduring tidal surges, there was no guarantee he would remain with the club beyond this season. Urged on by Bennett, Glenn scrapped and clawed with everything he had, signing a two-year deal in May to ensure he remains in Broncos colours.

The results have spoken for themselves. Glenn has become one of the genuine unsung heroes of Brisbane's season, with his high-energy runs and defensive reads integral to a side that finds itself on the verge of a title years earlier than most predicted.

"I wanted to say here. I knew the skill of the players in this group, so I knew I really had to work hard in the pre-season to keep my spot in the 17," Glenn said. "I wasn't worried about keeping my starting spot, I just wanted to be in the team each week. I knew it wasn't going to come easy so I put all my energy into doing my best each day at training."

Glenn has a close bond with his New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney, who he credits as being one of the masterminds of Brisbane's stoic defence, which has turned away all comers late in the season as they marched towards October.

"His defensive game, he was one of the best in his time. He's brings a lot of the structure for our defence. He does fly under the radar and he's not one that likes being in the limelight," Glenn said.

"When he can, he'll hide and stay away from the press. But he does bring a lot and instils a lot of confidence in the boys as well.

"Him and Wayne know what works out there. We pride ourselves on our defence and we knew if we had a strong defensive game, we could be here where we were right now."

The continuity from Glenn's under-20s side to now remains remarkable, with Ben Hunt and Andrew McCullough two of the players who also contested that premiership at the heart of the current Broncos NRL outfit.

Glenn remembers the butterflies before that decider and feels there are distinct parallels, despite there being far more on the line this time.

"I do remember it. It was exactly like this. Obviously there wasn't as much media attention but the feeling we had back then was the same here," Glenn said. "I was still doing a bit of house painting... it took your mind off footy. But at the end of the week, I knew I was going into a huge game. This is a bit easier given I'm not doing an eight-hour shift before training.

"But it is an achievement in itself to get this far. It's my first NRL grand final so I was overwhelmed after the game the other night. I didn't get to sleep until 6.30am that morning.

"I was just laying in bed for five hours. I was buzzing, my mind was ticking. Each day I've taken as it comes and am trying to soak it all in."